Joseph calls for more Windies grit in second ODI against Bangladesh
Published:Thursday | January 21, 2021 | 7:54 PMLennox Aldred/Gleaner Writer -
The West Indies will be hoping that they can avoid five straight One-Day International (ODI) losses in a row when they face Bangladesh in the second game of the three-match series on Friday at 12:30 a.m. Jamaica time.
Once again, the spin-friendly conditions in Dhaka will be the venue for the contest, and the hosts have been buoyed by their first match victory and are looking to close out the series and get another 10 points in the ICC Cricket World Cup Super League.
Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph, who is one of the senior members in the ODI squad, says he is hoping that the importance of the fixture can bring the best out of the team with both bat and ball.
"Everyone is aware of what's at stake,” Joseph said. “Everyone is pumped up to give a better showing in the second ODI. This game is even more important than the last one. If we lose this game, it's the series. Everyone knows exactly what they need to do. We have to play harder, dig deeper, and push the Bangladeshis all the way. From ball one to ball 300."
Joseph, who was part of the West Indies Under-19 team that won the World Cup in Bangladesh in 2016, is just two wickets away from reaching 50 in ODIs. The fast bowler knows all too well that picking up wickets as a pacer in Bangladesh is a difficult task, however, he believes patience will be key for the bowling unit.
"As a fast-bowling group, we have to be more consistent and hit good areas,” he said. “Also, we have to play the patient game. I know its 50 overs, not necessarily the longest format. But being patient in the good areas is what is needed for the fast bowlers to be successful on this wicket.”
With just the one game so far, head coach Phil Simmons is expected to go with the same 11 that lost the opening encounter by six wickets.
That means vice-captain Sunil Ambris continues to partner wicketkeeper batsman Joshua Da Silva at the top, with Jamaicans Andre McCarthy, Nkrumah Bonner, captain Jason Mohammed, Kyle Mayers, and Rovman Powell batting in the middle to lower order.
Joseph said that there were words of encouragement from the coaching staff after the below-par score of 122 in the first game, however, the fast-bowling all-rounder is hoping that the lower order can also perform well in the team’s cause.
"We all have our roles to play, weight to pull,” he said. “If the top half gets skittled out early, the bottom half have to pull their weight. It is a team. We all need to look within ourselves and realise that this is international cricket, and we have to do better.”